Automatic shuttle changing loom



March 13, 1934. R DOBSON 1,950,842

AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed May 12. 195?. 3 Sheets-Sheet l j is D F165. 5 E F/ I I I:

'INVENTOR. fic'c'ard poson March 13, 1934.

R. DOBSON 1,950,842

AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed May 12, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pic/Zara; fiosorz/ T IM/Emma.

March 13, 1934. R. DOBSON AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOM Filed May 12. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR fizlcharci DoZaow Patented Mar. 13, 1934 warren fi'TATES PATENT OFFIQE Application May 12, 1932, Serial No. 610,942 In Great Britain May 23,1931

4 Claims.

This invention relates .to an automatic shuttle changing loom of the kind in which a shuttle is automatically transferred without stopping the loom from a stationary magazine into the shuttle box by means of a pusher which is actuated at the required time to effect the transfer before the weft on the outgoing shuttle is completely exhausted, the last mentioned shuttle being allowed to fall from the shuttle box into a suitable receptacle. The present invention has for its chief object to introduce an improved. form of apparatus of this class in which the change will be made without pressure or violence to the shuttle or any part of the loom, to provide ample time for performing the operation, to enable the outgoing shuttle to get away by its own momentum and prevent the cut end of the weft from being taken into the cloth by a fresh shuttle.

According to this invention the shuttle box comprises a front portion and a back portion which are normally kept together, or in their correct working position by a spring arrangement which may cause the two parts toexert pressure on the shuttle and dispense with the shuttle swell. The front portion of the shuttle box is held stationary in a forward position for one revolution of the crank shaft by mechanism controlled from a feeler when the latter indicates a change of shuttle. The placing of the shuttle in the portion of the shuttle box that isheld stationary is done by a shuttle carrier actuated by feeler controlled mechanism and a cam and occupies one complete revolution of the crank shaft with. the result that the movement is as slow as possible and consequently easy. The movement of the shuttle carrier is positive but it is supported on a member that can yield in case of obstruction and prevent damage toithe shuttle or to the loom. When the aforesaid member yields the transferring operation is arrested and the loom stops. The shuttle carrier comprises two hinged jaws which are maintained in a non-gripping position when the shuttle carrier is in position for receiving a shuttle from the magazine and automatically grip the shuttle as the carrier is turned to its transferring position. The shuttle carrier deposits the shuttle in its correct position on the bottom of the front portion of the box and holds it in that position until the back portion comes forward and moves back with the front portion thereby withdrawing the shuttle from the carrier in a correct position for being picked. The shuttles are placed in the magazine with their bases facing the shuttle box and they are transferred therefrom into the shuttle carrier by a pusher and feeler controlled mechanism actuated by the tappet which operates the shuttle carrier. To enable an outgoing shuttle to pass out, as the back portion of the shuttle box is moving away from the front portion, this backward movement is utilized to move a guide into a position for directing the outgoing shuttle by its own momentum on to a tray or chute from which .it can fall into a suitable receptacle. After the weft has been cut atthe sel- I" vedge the outgoing shuttle takes the cut end and prevents it from being drawn into thecloth by the fresh shuttle.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing a shuttle in the shuttle carrier for transference into the shuttle box when the ,sley comes forward.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the front portion of the shuttel box locked in its forward position and a shuttle placed in position therein by the shuttle carrier.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a shuttle box andmovable guide.

Fig. 4 is a detached view of the tappet shaft.

Fig. 5 is an end view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrow 5.

Fig. 6 is a similar view looking in the direction of the. arrow 6, and

Fig. 7 Ba plan of part of thepicking mechanism.

A indicates. the shuttle, B the stationary magazine, C, D the front and back portion of the shuttle box, vE the pusher, F the shuttle carrier and Q a guide for directing the outgoingshuttle. i

In the example shown the pusher E comprises an angle plate which may be carried by two arms such as e pivoted at the top of the magazine. The pusher plate is connected by a link e to. an arm 2 rigidly fixed on a shaft 6 that is rotatable in bearings on a stationary frame. Rigidly fixed on the shaft e is an arm e that is connected by a link 6 with an arm e that is secured on a shaft H rotatable in bearings on a stationary framework. Rigidly fixed i on the shaftH is an arm i that is connected by, a link I and an arm ,1 to one jaw F of the shuttle carrier. This jaw and another jaw F are pivoted on a shaft I carried by the upper end of two L shaped arms I that are fixed rigidly at their lowor ends to a rotatable shaft f carried in bearings on a stationary framework. Fixed rigidly on the shaft is a two-armed lever of which one arm is attached to a spring I that is anchored to a stationary framework f". The other arm I? is nor- 1 mally retained by the spring i in contact with a stationary abutment f This arrangement enables the shuttle carrier to move away from the sley or shuttle box portion 0 in the event of pressure being applied to it from that direction. The shuttle carrier jaw F may be sufficiently wide to grip the shuttle A for the greater part of its length and the other jaw F may be narrow and centrally disposed in relation to' the wide jaw. The jaw F may be moved towards the jaw F by a spring which may be coiled around the shaft F. The pusher plate E is normally maintained in the closed position shown in Fig. 1 and the shuttle carrier F in its vertical position by a spring h which exerts a turning action on the shaft H through the arm f. The shuttle carrier F is kept in its vertical and correct position underneath the magazine B for receiving a shuttle by a suitable stop which may also be arranged to hold the jaws F, F in a non-gripping position when the shuttle carrier is in the position shown in Fig. 1. When the shuttle carrier is turned to a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2 to transfer a shuttle from the magazine to the shuttle box the spring controlled aws F, F automatically grip the shuttle. When the shuttle carrier is turned to a horizontal position the shuttle A travels over stationary guides f which direct the shuttle over the box front 0 and place it in its proper position in the front part C of the shuttle box. The link and lever mechanism f f for turning the shuttle carrier F to place the shuttle in the box may be actuated by a crank i rigidly fixed on the shaft H and attached to a connecting rod f At the bottom end of the latter is a bowl or runner i which engages With a cam or tappet on a shaft J thus imparting an upward and downward movement to the connecting rod I The shaft J, Fig. 4 has rigidly fixed on it another cam or tappet K also a clutch comprising a disc D that is rotatable on the shaft J and driven by a chain Z or other suitable means from a wheel Z on the bottom shaft M of the loom and at half the speed of such shaft. The clutch member L is provided with two or more lugs 01' pins Z for engagement with recesses or holes in a driven clutch member L The last mentioned clutch member is slidable on a feather key I on the shaft J and is normally held out of engagement with the clutch member L by a spring I that is attached to one arm I of a bell crank lever that is pivoted at Z The other arm Z of the bell crank lever is made in the form of a clutch fork lever that engages an annular clutch ring Z appertaining to the slidably mounted clutch member L The arm Z of the bell crank lever is attached to one end of a connecting rod Z of which the other end is attached to a crank arm Z fixed rigidly in position on the change shaft N. The change shaft N extends across the loom and may carry a member adapted to be put into the path of the weft hammer or other suitable moving part by means of a weft feeler which comes into action when the weft is nearly exhausted, and causes such shaft to be turned, the said weft feeler mechanism forming no part of the present invention and therefore not being shown in the drawings. The slidable clutch member L is provided with a plate or flange Z a portion of which is cut away at Z as shown in Fig. 6. A bracket Z is arranged in a suitable position so that when the clutch member L is in engagement with the clutch member L the flange Z can rotate between the bracket Z and the clutch member L thereby pre Venting the clutch member L being disengaged until the shaft J has made a complete revolution and the portion Z coincides with the face of the bracket Z as shown in Fig. 6. Rigidly fixed on the shaft J is a registering disc or wheel 0 that is formed with a recess or notch 0 to receive a projection 0 and which holds the shaft J in position when the clutch members L and L are disengaged so that the part Z of the flange Z will coincide with the face of the bracket Z and allow the clutch to be engaged when required. Situated co-axially with the change shaft N is another shaft 7c Figs. 1 and 2 and rigidly fixed on the latter is a crank arm k to which is attached a connecting rod k carrying at its lower end a bowl or runner k which engages with the cam 0r tappet K on the shaft J. Mounted on the shaft is is an arm 0 that is made in two parts adjustably connected together so that such arm may be lengthened or shortened, the free end of the arm terminating in a hook or catch 0 for engagement with a hook or catch 0 on the sley or shuttle box front. The shaft It may be pro vided with a coiled spring which exerts an upward pressure on the hook c and a downward pressure on the crank arm 7: The front portion C of the shuttle box may be carried by two legs that are free to turn on a sley sword shaft P and the back portion D of the box is carried by the sley sword d and a leg (not shown) that is fixed to the'sley sword shaft P. The front portion of the box C is normally kept in its closed or working position in relation to the back portion by a spring arrangement which may comprise a flexible member 0 connected to a plate or fitting c on the leg (1 and to an arm 0 fixed to a shaft 0 that is free to turn in bearings on the sley sword d and box back leg. Rigidly fixed on the shaft 0 is another arm 0 that is connected to a spring 0 that is anchored to a stationary part 0 of the loom. The back portion of the box D is provided with a movable guide Q which may be made in the form of an inverted channel or inverted L section mounted on a horizontal pivot q at its outer end and normally occupying a position below the level of the shuttle box C as shown in Fig. 1. Attached to or forming part of the guide is a plate or lug 1 to which is connected one end of a spring :1 that is anchored at its other end to a stationary part (1 When the front portion C of the box is retained by the catch 0 engaging the hook c the spring q imparts an upward turning motion to the guide which brings its entering end in line with the outgoing shuttle as shown in Fig. 3. When the outgoing shuttle enters the guide Q it is defiected thereby into a chute R carried by the shuttle box back or other suitable adjacent part. For this purpose the guide is attached by a flexible connection :1 to one arm q of a bell crank lever that is fulcrumed on a stud (1 carried by a bracket g on the sley sword d. The other arm (1 of the bell crank lever provided with a stud (19 adapted to be engaged by a hook (1 on the end of an arm q that is pivoted at q and is 2 provided with a spring escapement q The lever q is connected by a link (1 to a lever or arm that is pivoted at q and is connected by a link q to the arm 1 that fixed on the shaft H. The spring escapement (1 is provided to give way in the event of the shuttle failing to enter the guide Q properly and the latter being inadvertently arrested in its movement. The picker spindle S may be supported in the usual manner between the picker spindle stud s and the spring 5 outside the box end or it may be maintained in a state of tension between such parts. Any suitable form of shuttle checking appliance may be employed and when a check strap is used it may be arranged to operate as in an ordinary loom, but may pass behind the box backs parallel with the picker spindles and along the back of the sley cap. To ensure the safe return of the picker s it may be pulled back by a short stick 8 (Fig. '7) connected to it by a strap s*. The short stick 8 may work horizontally over the top of the shuttle box and be pulled in the direction shown by a spring 8 attached to a plate s formed with a slot s for engagement with a pin or stop s When the feeler indicates a change of shuttle the shaft k is turned to lift the hook c and cause it to engage the hook 0 when the sley beats up. The front portion C of the box is then held stationary for one revolution of the crank shaft T, the active shuttle being at the opposite side of the loom. During this period the shuttle carrier F which has previously had a shuttle A deposited into it from the magazine B turns over with the shuttle gripped in it as shown in Fig. 2 and remains in this condition until the sley comes forward with the back portion of the box. During this movement the jaw F enters a slot 0 in the box portion C with the result that the shuttle carrier positively places the shuttle fiat on the bottom of the box in a correct position for picking. As the sley goes back taking with it both of the box portions, the shuttle is withdrawn from the carrier and left in a correct position to be picked across the loom. During the time that the shuttle carrier is placing a shuttle in the shuttle box, the angular pusher plate E is retracted as shown in Fig. 2 until a shuttle drops behind its vertical portion and on its next for ward movement after the shuttle carrier has re turned to its normal position puts the shuttle into the carrier. During the time that the back portion of the box D is separated from the front portion C the inverted channel or guide Q is moved about its pivot to a position in which it will receive the outgoing shuttle and direct it into the tray or chute R, the ejection of the shuttle being effected through its own energy. The loose end of the weft can be cut away at the selvedge by an ordinary weft cutter attached to the temple and the tail end of the cut weft that is attached to the shuttle is pulled away by the latter and prevented from being taken into the cloth by a fresh shuttle.

When the loom is weaving the spring arrangement that presses the front and back portions C, D towards each other causes the shuttle to be gripped at the required time between the box front c and a shuttle swell a. This may be fitted with a relieving motion for withdrawing it out of action when required, and for this purpose it may be formed with a plate a adapted to be engaged by one arm a of a bell crank lever of which the other arm a is pivoted to a stationary point a on the bracket Q The bell crank lever is attached by a link a to a crank arm a on the shaft 0 the arrangement being such that when the arm a is turned to an approximately upright position as shown in Fig. 2 it operates the connec tions described to retract the swell. The shuttle may be put into the box under the fender by raising same instead of being passed over it in the manner described.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States 1. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination of a magazine for filled shuttles, a shuttle support situated below the magazine, a shuttle carrier situated in proximity to the shuttle support, a shuttle box having a front portion comprising a box front and a bottom portion, a back part, the front portion being made free and independent of the back part, means for holding the box front portion stationary in a forward position for one revolution of the 10cm crank shaft when a change of shuttle is to be effected, means controlled by weft feeler mechanism for moving the shuttle support to transfer a shuttle from the magazine into the shuttle carrier, means for actuating the shuttle carrier to positively place the shuttle flat on the bottom of the box in a correct position for picking, a shuttle guide movably mounted in the shuttle box and means for moving said guide to a position in which it will direct a discarded shuttle out of the box when the shuttle is picked into the box.

2. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination of a magazine for filled shuttles, a shuttle support situated below the magazine, a shuttle carrier situated in proximity to the shuttle support, a yielding support for the shuttle carrier, a shuttle box having a front portion comprising a box front and a bottom portion, a back part, the front portion being made free and in dependent of the back part, means for holding the box front portion stationary in a forward position for one revolution of the loom crank shaft when a change of shuttle is to be effected, means controlled by weft feeler mechanism for moving the shuttle support to transfer a shuttle from the magazine into the shuttle carrier, means for actuating the shuttle carrier to positively place the shuttle flat on the bottom of the box in a correct position for picking, a shuttle guide movably mounted in the shuttle box and means for moving said guide to position in which it will direct a discarded shuttle out of the box when the shuttle is picked into the box.

3. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination of a magazine for filled shuttles, a shuttle support situated below the magazine, a shuttle carrier situated in proximity to the shuttle support and comprising two pivotally mounted jaws, a shaft on which said jaws are pivoted, a

spring which tends to cause the jaws to assume a gripping position, means for holding the jaws in a non-gripping position when the shuttle carrier is in its receiving position, a yielding support for the shuttle carrier, means for positively turning the shuttle carrier from its receiving position to a substantially horizontal position to transfer a shuttle from the magazine to the shuttle box during which movement the spring controlled jaws automatically grip the shuttle, stationary guides for directing the shuttle over the box front and placing it in its proper position in the front part of the shuttle box, a shuttle guide movably mounted in the shuttle box and means for moving said guide to a position in which it will direct a discarded shuttle out of the box when the shuttle is picked into the box.

4. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, the combination of a magazine for filled shuttles, a shuttle support situated below the magazine, a shuttle carrier situated in proximity to the shuttle support, a shuttle box having a front portion comprising a box front and a bottom portion, a back part, the front portion being made free and independent of the back part, means for holding the box front portion stationary in a forward ably mounted in the shuttle box and mechanism actuated by the backward movement of the back part of the shuttle box away from the front portion when held stationary to move the guide into a position for directing the discarded shuttle by its own momentum out of the box.

RICHARD DOBSON. 

